ARIZONA LAND SURVEYORS STATE SPECIFIC EXAM Harold N. Hal Epperson, PLS, CFedS Past Land Surveyor Member, Arizona State Board of Technical Registration September 20, 2014 hal.epperson@ateam.net
General The AZLS Examination is a 90 question, closedbook, multiple choice exam. Three hours are allowed to complete the exam. When can I take it? After passing the NCEES FLS and PLS exams or after Comity application approved. The exam is given year round (you contact the board and to schedule your appointment). Where is the exam given? At the board offices located at 1110 West Washington Street, Suite 240, Phoenix, Arizona
Why A State Exam? Laws affecting land ownership/title Subdivision Regulations Recording Requirements Public Land Survey System Corner Monumentation Requirements Board Statutes and Rules
Candidate Handbook Gives an overview of the exam process and content. Lists subject content and pertinent statutes. Board address, etc.
Exam Description 90 Question, Multiple Choice, Computer Graded Three Hours To Complete Exam 19 Subject Areas (page 4 of Handout) BLM/PLSS 45% -50% ABSMS 20% - 25% BTR Status Codes 8% Remaining Portion Evenly Divided Among Remaining 16 Categories (ARS)
Remaining Areas Those shown on the Professional Land Surveying Candidate Handout. Use the handout to find the appropriate ARS reference. Go to http://www.azleg.gov to view statutes.
Not Shown on Handout Cemeteries, 32-2194 2194.33 Pay particular attention to 2194.21 Survey of property, maps and plats. Every cemetery, from time to time as its property may be required for internment purposes, in addition to the other requirements of the article shall: 1. In case of land, survey and subdivide it into sections, blocks, plots, avenues, walks or other subdivisions, and make a good and substantial map or plat showing the sections, plots, avenues, walks or other subdivisions, with descriptive names or numbers. 2. In case of a mausoleum, or crematory and columbarium, it shall make a good and substantial map or plat on which shall be delineated the sections, halls, rooms, corridors, elevations, and other divisions, with descriptive numbers.
STATE STATUTES Study them directly. The examination is very specific and reliant upon the wording of the statutes! Focus your studies towards the handout. Know the referenced statutes. You may not have been exposed to them during your daily practice (i.e. mineral surveys, cemetery surveys, land subdivision owner limitations.)
Older Coordinate System Old: 33-121- 33-125 New: 33-131-138 Location of Zones: No Change (Same Counties) Origin of Coordinates: Same Lat/Long 31º 00 00 N 111º 55 00 W Different Coordinates: x Old: 500,000 feet 0 feet New: 700,000 feet 0 feet y Other changes in wording but not on exam.
STATE STATUTES Give yourself enough time to know the statutes. There is a lot of material that you need to learn and it cannot be crammed in overnight.
Arizona Revised Statutes Where can I find and/or get copies of the statutes? 1. Go to www.azleg.gov 2. Place cursor over Statutes and click on Arizona Revised Statutes. 3. In the Search box, type in statute that you want to see, IE; 9-463, 11-481, etc., You can also just click on the Section box and see all of the titles.
Board Rules Where can I find and/or make copies of the Statutes and Rules governing the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration and the Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards (ABSMS)? Go to www.azbtr.gov The subject areas are listed on the left side of the page.
PUBLIC LAND SYSTEM Fundamental understanding of the PLSS system Know how to break out the aliquot parts of a Section including the fractional Sections. Understand retracement procedures. Statute for monuments and corner records for Section and ¼ Section corners. (ARS 33-103 and 33-106) A basic scientific calculator is more than sufficient for the test. Only non-programmable calculators allowed into the exam room. References: The 1973 Manual of Instructions. 1974 Restoration of Lost or Obliterated Corners *2009 Manual is not tested on.
The Arizona Boundary Survey Defines boundary survey. Minimum Standards (ABSMS) Sets minimum standards of practice for: -How much research? (as necessary to perform the survey as described in the scope of services. -Field procedures and accuracy requirements. -Defines criteria for when a survey must be recorded. Can be found on BTR web site. www.azbtr.gov
Applications Applications approved if applicant has met the required minimum experience + education requirements. Most delays in the process due to experience records not being received by the board or other information missing. If less than three work experiences, will need at least three professional references.
HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE? LSIT 48 MONTHS LS 72 MONTHS COMITY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE? MAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHS CONSTRUCTION STAKING MAXIMUM OF 6 MONTHS SUB- PROFESSIONAL TWO YEARS FIELD EXPERIENCE
HOW MUCH EDUCATION? NO FORMAL EDUCATION REQUIRED 4 YEAR SURVEY DEGREE=48 MONTHS APPROVED 2 YEAR DEGREE=24 MONTHS (PHOENIX COLLEGE) OTHER DEGREES ARE EVALUATED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS - 30HRS=12 MONTHS
Application Issues I have been surveying for over seven years but my application was denied! I have applied for Comity registration but my application was denied due to lack of sufficient experience! I have been drafting surveys for years but my application was denied! I studied surveying while in prison, doesn t that count!
Inappropriate Experience Person certifying experience record does not realize that responsible charge should count as professional experience. (I see this on many comity applications) Applicant does not realize limitations of subprofessional or construction staking. Applicant has no field experience.
Professional Professional experience means work calling for substantial technical knowledge, skill, and responsibility as well as a lesser degree of supervision. Responsible charge experience means work in the field or in the office, where the applicant had responsibility for the direction of the work and its successful accomplishment and where the applicant had to make professional decisions without relying on advice or instructions from or first referring the decision for approval to a superior. Responsible charge experience counts as professional experience for the purpose of the application.
Subprofessional Subprofessional experience means task work done under direct supervision and not falling within the definition of professional experience, including but not limited to time spent as a rodman, chainman, recorder, instrument technician, survey aide, technician, clerk of the works, or similar work.
Enforcement
Top Ten Ways To Come To The BTR s Attention
Number Ten Ambiguous Contracts While the board does not take disciplinary action against registrants because of a fee dispute, it does accept the consumer allegations and evaluates the complaint to see if fraud or misrepresentation issues are involved. This requires both BTR staff and the registrant to invest time and money in the resolution of the allegations.
Number Nine Failure To Communicate With Non-clients Negatively Impacted By A Survey
Number Eight Not Providing A Survey Map
Number Seven Not Recording Surveys In Accordance With ARS 33-105 Requirements and Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards Lists Specific Items That Must Be Included On Record of Survey Maps and Defines When Surveys Must Be Recorded
Number Six Not Signing and Sealing Professional Documents Or Marking Them Preliminary When Appropriate THIS HERE SURVEY WAS DONE BY MY COMPANY SOMETIME IN 1994 AND I HOPE THAT IT BEARS SOME RESEMBLANCE TO WHAT THE CLIENT THINKS HE OWNS. I WASN T PRESENT DURING ANY OF THE FIELD WORK BUT MY SURVEY CREWS USUALLY DO A GOOD JOB AND ALL OF MY OFFICE CALCULATIONS CHECKED OUT REAL GOOD. SIGNED: GOOD OLD BOY SURVEYOR
Number Five Failure To Conduct A Survey In Accordance With The Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards
Number Four Creating Associations With Non-registrants In An Improper Format ( Aiding and Abetting )
Number Three Practicing Outside The Parameters of Your Discipline Or Your Competence
Number Two Failure To Effectively Communicate With Clients. The client thinks they were going to get one thing and then gets something different or thinks they were going to pay one price and then gets a bill for a larger amount; now your client is very unhappy.
Number One Failure To Stay Abreast Of The Changes In The Laws and/or Board Rules
What Happens When You Make a Mistake Have you covered yourself?
ENFORCEMENT PROCESS Complaint is filed (may be anonymous). Case is opened, investigation begins. Reviewed and, if necessary, sent to evaluators. Sent to full board with staff recommendation or sent to Enforcement Advisory Committee (EAC). EAC findings returned to BTR staff. EAC findings and staff recommendations placed before the full board. Full board determines appropriate action.
Other Thoughts
GPS No Redundancy In Field Measurements Datum Transformations (software glitches) HI and HT errors Tribrach Errors No Longer Following The Footsteps
We Need To Work On These Pincushion Corners Inappropriate Use Of Proportionate Methods To Reestablish PLSS Corners Property Law Sufficient Research PLSS Plats and Field Notes Adjoining Deeds Case Law
Your Turn: Open Discussion and Questions
GOOD LUCK WITH THE EXAM!